Pekin expands classrooms to accommodate cyber-savvy students

Sunday

Sep 25, 2011 at 12:01 AMSep 25, 2011 at 8:53 PM

High school students today aren't as they were in the mid-1980s, when Rich Schurter began his teaching career.

"They're geared toward a YouTube environment," the chairman of the social studies department at Pekin Community High School said. "I think you have to constantly be hunting for something that will engage them and get them involved."

To help connect with the cyber-savvy students of the modern era, Schurter and some of his colleagues got back to the drawing board. Or, more accurately, Blackboard.

Nick Vlahos

High school students today aren't as they were in the mid-1980s, when Rich Schurter began his teaching career.

"They're geared toward a YouTube environment," the chairman of the social studies department at Pekin Community High School said. "I think you have to constantly be hunting for something that will engage them and get them involved."

To help connect with the cyber-savvy students of the modern era, Schurter and some of his colleagues got back to the drawing board. Or, more accurately, Blackboard.

For the second semester in a row, Schurter is teaching an online, junior-level class in United States history. Pekin is one of the only high schools in the state that offers an online class through Blackboard, an educational Web platform also used by Illinois Central College.

"It's groundbreaking, and not just in this district," said Paula Davis, the Pekin superintendent.

Other Pekin educators use the application to teach "flipped" classes, in which lectures are provided on podcasts that also are available on iTunes and YouTube. Students can watch or listen to the lectures at home. Class time is reserved for supervised tests and homework.

"I've taken away the excuse of 'I don't know how to do it, I didn't understand it, my dog ate it.' There's no dog in my classroom," said Sherry Spurlock, who teaches "flipped" chemistry and physics courses.

Pekin acquired the online-class technology last fall and encouraged its use for "blended" classes, in which Web content folders with online audio and video supplement traditional lectures. But as Schurter became more intrigued with the technology, he decided to take the full online plunge.

The virtual U.S. History class covers the same material as Schurter's face-to-face class. PDF files of the textbook contents are placed on the Blackboard platform, accessible by password through the school website. Also there are links to other sites Schurter deems relevant, as well as appropriate audio and video samples.

Chat functions, instant messaging and Facebook-style posts enable group discussions for students, who take the online class in addition to a full regular schedule. Tests are taken in person, either before or after school or on Thursday evenings.

The sites can't be accessed through search engines or by anybody not enrolled in the class. All online activity is archived.

Self-motivation and independence are keys to success in an online format, according to the instructors.

"I think students are actually surprised at how much work it is," said Cynthia Hinderliter, who chairs the Pekin instructional technology department.

"Their first thought is, 'Oh, I can just do this online, I don't have to sit in class.' But when they actually go to do the work and have to look at all the content and focus on what they have to do, it can easily be an hour a night after they get home instead of being in class."

The commitment is one reason an enrollment of 30, randomly selected from the Pekin student body, for Schurter's first online attempt fell to 18 by the end of the semester. Of that total, 14 actually were turning in work, he said.

This semester, 16 are enrolled. The greatest amount of online activity comes between 8 and 11 p.m. weeknights, Hinderliter said. But students also frequent the website on weekends, although they are required to log in only on weekdays.

The 24/7 nature of the format also takes commitment from teachers.

"You better check your email seven days a week," Schurter said.

Said Spurlock, who spent much of her summer amassing a database for her classes: "Unless someone is willing to make the time commitment, it's not going to work. As long as I believe this is going to make a difference, I'm willing to put in the time."

Much of the Pekin experience thus far has been trial and error. But online academic achievement has been solid, the teachers said.

And there have been bonuses.

Some students who were quiet in traditional classes were more outspoken in online forums. Writing also improved. Students haven't been using Internet slang, acronyms and abbreviation, Hinderliter said.

"My discussion comments are as good as I've ever gotten in a face-to-face class," Schurter said.

"As a teacher, you know how you're manipulating the discussion to go. Online, with a whole bunch of people adding comments, that drives my mind in a different direction. And I like that. I really feel my comments are viewed as participatory rather than directing."

Pekin junior Kylie Heruth, who is enrolled in Schurter's virtual class, concurs about the value of the discussions.

"I think it's brought my friends in class and myself closer together," Heruth said. "We talk a lot about it in school. It's fun for me to be able to go to a friend's house to study and we get to make comments back and forth."

The Pekin online course menu is likely to expand. Hinderliter said summer-school options are being considered; they would enable students to take courses while out of town on family vacations. Smartphone applications also are possible.

It's all part of the school's attempt to adjust to its clientele.

"They have become more social. When we were in school, we weren't that social," Spurlock said. "They have a totally different system than we had, and they learn in a totally different way.

"What we have to find out is what that way is and use it. Otherwise, we've lost a whole generation."